Man City, Chelsea making strides to sign Dutch prodigy after Barcelona back away from deal | OneFootball

Premier League trio Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United are among the clubs ready to rival Barcelona for Dutch defensive prodigy Ruud Nijstad, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The FC Twente centre‑half has emerged as one of Europe’s most-watched teenage defenders after breaking through this season, and his performances have triggered a scramble among elite recruitment departments.

Barcelona have been pushing hardest in recent months, holding talks in an attempt to strike an early deal for the 18‑year‑old. However, sources close to the negotiations tell us that the Catalan giants were reluctant to go beyond €10million, a figure coming from the Twente side of discussions.

On top of that, Nijstad himself was understood to be unconvinced by the development plan being presented to him within Barça’s system, raising doubts about whether the move would truly accelerate his career.

Barca’s hesitation has now opened the door for a host of clubs and sources have told us that more than a dozen sides across Europe are tracking Nijstad, including Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig — all of whom have sent scouts repeatedly in recent weeks.

But the most significant movement is coming from England. We can reveal that Chelsea’s owners BlueCo and Manchester City’s parent company City Football Group are both actively working on Nijstad’s situation.

Their involvement is considered particularly important because both ownership groups can offer multi‑club pathways, development options and long‑term planning that appeal to emerging talents. Crucially, both can map out a clear route to the Premier League.

Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton and Brentford have also checked on Nijstad, with several clubs sending scouts multiple times to verify whether his early-season form is sustainable. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

Despite only making his senior debut this season, the left‑sided centre‑back has impressed observers with his composure, maturity and decision‑making — traits that are rare at his age and position.

Nijstad is currently under contract with Twente until 2027, and the Dutch club are pushing to secure him on a new long‑term deal. However, with Europe’s biggest recruitment networks circling and Premier League giants now firmly in the race, sources believe Twente may face a battle to keep hold of one of the Eredivisie’s most exciting young defenders.

Our sources understand that the race for Nijstad is only just beginning — but with Barcelona stepping back and England’s elite stepping forward, the teenager’s future may be heading toward the Premier League rather than La Liga.